|
Home>News Center>World | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
US launches offensive in Iraqi town, 17 killed
The US military launched an offensive on Thursday to drive insurgents out of the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, and doctors said 17 people were killed and 51 wounded in heavy fighting. "Multi-National Forces and Iraqi security forces initiated operations to restore control of Tal Afar to legitimate Iraqi government officials," a US military statement said. "The operation comes after MNF and Iraqi security forces were repeatedly attacked by a large terrorist element that has displaced local Iraqi Security forces throughout recent weeks." Doctors at Tal Afar's main hospital said heavy fighting was continuing and casualties were expected to rise. The town lies west of Mosul, which is 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad. The Americans say Tal Afar is a haven for insurgents crossing into Iraq from Syria. "Numerous attacks in the past two weeks not only targeted MNF and Iraqi Security forces, but civilians as well," the statement said. "These attacks by terrorist groups included rocket-propelled grenades, small arms fire, mortars and roadside bombs, and resulted in civilian casualties. Many Iraqi families have been forced from their homes under threat by these terrorists." On Saturday, US forces and guerrillas battled in the town for several hours in clashes that killed at least 13 people. A US helicopter made a forced landing after coming under fire, and a Stryker vehicle sent to seal off the site where the helicopter came down was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. Rebels waging an insurgency against Iraq's US-backed interim government
frequently launch attacks on US forces and Iraqi security forces in and around
Mosul. |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
